PrintIntroduction: Remote Sensing
A. Goals
Upon completion of module 1, you will be able to identify potential data sources for remotely sensed data, determine availability and cost for those data, and acquire remotely sensed data from the Web.
B. Background
Written by Doug Miller, except as noted.
John and Frank Craighead, twin brothers and Penn State Class of '39 graduates, were world renowned for their efforts in wildlife studies and habitat conservation. Their long term study of grizzly bears in North America and around the world is lauded for its long-term record and success in understanding the grizzly bear and its habitat requirements. Their research legacy lives on in the form of the Craighead Environmental Research Institute (CERI) where the Craighead family continues the conservation biology efforts initiated by their fathers/grandfathers.
CERI has focused much of its efforts in conservation biology by studying the wildlife habitat connectivity using remotely sensed data. Much of this work has focused on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in Wyoming and portions of Idaho and Montana. In a region with increasing human influence, habitat continues to be fragmented, necessitating continued monitoring to ensure that essential landscape connections are preserved for wildlife. CERI uses remotely sensed data to track changes in land use and land cover in an attempt to understand the impact of these changes on grizzly bear habitat.
CERI, like many modern organizations, has discovered the power of remote sensing to track changes in the environment. The ability to image the same land area at multiple times ensures that geospatial databases can be kept current and that a historic record of these changes can be maintained. The goal of this exercise will be to familiarize you with the challenge of acquiring remotely sensed data for your final project area.
C. Module Overview
- Identify potential data sources for remotely sensed data
- Determine availability and cost for remotely sensed data
- Acquire remotely sensed data
- Extract Vector Data
D. Deliverables
This module is one week in length. Please refer to the course Calendar tab, in ANGEL, for the due date.
Please see the Deliverables section at the end of Part II for this week's readings and action items.